


Breathing in Carnations

by PunnyMints



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Edelbert Week (Fire Emblem), Edelgard von Hresvleg/Hubert von Vestra, Edelgard/Hubert, F/M, Hanahaki Disease, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25016485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunnyMints/pseuds/PunnyMints
Summary: Hubert confronts his emotions, despite the war closing in.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 5
Kudos: 13





	Breathing in Carnations

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at 2am, don't expect much

Emperor Edelgard von Hresvleg was the recipient of many proposals from unbefitting suitors. It tired her to no end how many pompous nobles showed up with praises and jewels and paintings and choirs singing of her beauty and wisdom. They all wanted the same thing, her power, her throne. Lavender eyes examined those who entered, blubbering their hearts out for the woman they'd never met. 

Honestly, Edelgard had more respect for the ones who came in and directly addressed that they thought she was powerful and it would benefit both her and their own house expand in power, size, and riches. It didn't feel very good from either genre of proposal, but she was rather used to it at this point in her reign. Unfortunately.

The current noble, a man who couldn't be much older than Edelgard herself, but he was far more arrogant and spoke so highly of himself that anyone would have thought he was proposing to himself.

"Fairest Empress!" He was now declaring as Edelgard watched on, broadly. "I bestow these blessings here if you agree to marry me. My treasures, my riches, my well built body, it shall all be yours." Edelgard heard Hubert stifle a chortle, disguising it as a cough. This gave Edelgard a bit of courage to grin. This must have given the suitor hope, who resumed gesturing grandly as he declared, "I have felt this passion for you, oh most illustrious princess. Your fire and your spirit enchants me far more than any rich could."

"Do you think he'll talk about your eyes?" Hubert whispered to Edelgard.

"I believe so. We need to make a checklist for these proposals. Make a game out of it." Edelgard adjusted herself in the throne as the suitor carried on with his promises of grandeur and making elaborate gestures just to describe how great it would be to be married to him. 

The duo turned back in as he was saying, "... I would gladly worship your ivory hair, your evanescent orbs of eyes, your rosy blushing cheeks and plump lips-"

"I wouldn't say they're plump." Edelgard commented, leaning back on her throne and looking down at the suitor with a face that said something along the lines of 'know your place before I put you there'. "I mean, I'm sure they're nice, but they aren't as… Hubert, what's the word?"

"... plump?"

"Well, yes. Plump. They aren't very plump. I would say I have-," she pursed her lips in thought and tapped her fingers together. "-average lips." The noble opened his mouth to sing of more flatteries, and Edelgard raised her hand to stop him. "Your praises get you no where. But I do appreciate your efforts. I will let you know what I think later." She waved a hand and dismissed him as she rose. Without offering second glance, Edelgard walked towards the private room that lay behind her diadem.

Hubert threw a little smirk at the slack-jawed suitor and walked after his Emperor. "You weren't as fun with that one."

"I know, Hubert." Edelgard poured a glass of champagne for herself. "But what's the point in it?"

"The point, my lady?"

Edelgard sat down on the large armchair that she kept for unwinding. After a large sip of her drink, she said, "Yes. There's no fun in entertaining fools anymore." She swirled her flute, examining it with thought. "I'm tired." She sighed and dropped her forehead between her fingers, massaging her creased brow gently. 

Hubert sat on the arm of the chair. "Of what, my lady?"

"I'm just so… tired." Her voice trembled, somewhat frustrated.

The pause between them was tense. Hubert finally said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Edelgard turned abruptly, looking up at him. "Oh, Hubert, no. You didn't trouble me." She gently pressed a hand on his arm. "You've been a dear friend for so long, it would be hard for you to afflict me."

Hubert was overly aware of her touch. Edelgard's pinkie finger brushed on his wrist while the rest of her digits relaxed on his sleeve. It was warm. Soft. He felt a chill run through him, and something bubbled up in his throat. He tore his gaze away from Edelgard's ivory hand and moved towards the window, coughing at whatever was in his throat. 

Concerned, the Empress began to rise. "Hubert?"

"I'm al-" He grasped the handkerchief and coughed. "I'm alright, my lady."

"What is it?" She set her glass on the small table nearby and stood, hurrying over, eyes darkening with suspicion. "Are you ill?"

Unable to reply, he coughed into his handkerchief and shook his head. He accepted the glass of water Edelgard had gotten prepared in a shockingly quick manner. Once the coughing had subsided enough, Hubert gulped down what was in the glass. "Thank you," he managed to say.

Edelgard gave a relieved smile that rattled him to his very core. "Hubert, you cannot go dying on me. You're the one ally I have left in this world." She lead him by the arm towards the couch. "Please, recover-"

He tugged his arm back. "My lady, I am fine." Hubert insisted this, moving away from her. "I can recover in my room, if you're this worried-"

"Hubert. I am your Emperor." Edelgard moved around him, quickly, her tiny form stopping just inches in front of him. "I command you to rest, here, now."

The mage licked his lips, a bad habit he thought he had broken some time ago. "But-"

"Now, Hubert." Her words were sharp, and her eyes held a dominance Hubert couldn't deny, partially out of duty and partially out of his deep and profound devotion to her. Slowly, he lowered his eyes and nodded as she lead him to the chair and handed him a glass. "There. That's better."

Hubert motioned her to take a seat. "I cannot rest easy if you aren't."

With an affirmative nod, the Emperor took a seat. "You've been coughing a lot lately." She swept aside her coat tail and took a seat. Edelgard crossed her legs and leaned on her knees, propping her chin onto her palm. Keen eyes observed him, prying into his soul for answers. Edelgard was well wise beyond her years and Hubert found this admirable. "I can fetch for the healer to come look-"

Hubert waved a hand in dismissal. "Seasonal, I'm sure." His tone was curt, trying to relay the message that he didn't wish to speak of this further. Yet, her eyes stayed on Hubert. They remained astute. Cool. Calculated. 

It was Hubert who glanced away first, down into his glass to ease the scratching of his throat. He had a war to worry about. He knew his former classmates. Caspar was a fool, Dorthea was flighty, Ferdinand was pompous, Bernedetta was easily scared, Petra was irritable, Lindhard was lazy, and the professor was a traitor. But they were all strong and formidable. He had no time to be concerned about the welts in his throat.

Hubert turned his head and coughed into his kerchief again, harder this time. He withdrew it and grimaced at the dainty crimson petals withering in the silk.

Edelgard noticed the flash of color and jumped to her feet. "Is that blood?" Alarm rose to her voice and her cheeks flushed. "Hubert!"

"No! No, it's-" Hubert attempted to protest as Edelgard grabbed his kerchief and tugged on it. The red petals fluttered out of the silk and landed on the carpet.

Confusion blanked in Edelgard's face, the gears in her brilliant head whirring. The empress's brow creased. She knelt down, plucking up a petal between her pointer finger and thumb. "... caranations?" 

"Flower petals." Hubert's voice sounded small. This shocked him, his voice was never small, or it never should have been. Edelgard's brows raised and her jaw slacked in suprise. 

"Hanahaki?" She questioned softly. Her expression elevated from confusion to terror when Hubert gave a confirmative nod. "Who… who did this to you?"

Hubert felt his tongue stick in his mouth, attempting to cool his quickly warming face. He wanted to grab her and tell her it was her, his queen, his very heart and soul ached for her touch and kiss and look and just her. But he swallowed the thickness away and shrugged with a chuckle, sliding back into his usual confident act. "My empress, it's only been for a short time. I'm sure it will go away with time." Hubert waved his hand nonchalantly, fingers dismissing her concerns.

Edelgard looked doubtful. Her brows piqued in the middle of her perfectly pale forehead. "Well, Hubert, if you truly do insist." She stood up, dress moving from her seat and pooling to the floor. Edelgard reached back and began forming a braid. "I'm going to bed, I'm sure we have a long week ahead of us." She moved past Hubert, her very presence, her smell, her eyes, driving him to his wit's end. Hubert held back another cough.

"Oh, and Hubert?"

Hubert stood and set down his glass, turning around to face Edelgard, his heart (ugh, his heart) throbbing once more at the sight of his empress. "You know, you can tell me anything." She crossed her arms and leaned on the doorframe, tugging her braid over one shoulder and giving him a small smile he was so undeserving of.

Hubert pushed back the innapropriate thoughts about his empress and vowed. "I shall remember that. Thank you."

Edelgard nodded and pushed herself off the door, walking up the hall towards the stairwell to go to bed.

It took Hubert probably thirty minuites to realize he was pacing. His feet wandered back and forth between the armchair to the window. He had adored being here, spending his life serving her. He loved picking her up when she was down, bringing her coffee and tea to cheer her up, when one of his snide remarks or comments made her laugh, and that he saw her as more than someone to serve. When he had first developed this disease, a little more than a year before his academy days, he had brushed it off. It was an infatuation and nothing more. He coughed up a carnation every… what, couple months? However, as of late, they had increased to every day, almost every hour, and Hubert knew his time was short. He had no idea why this was carrying on, why the infatuation wouldn't end.

Then it had hit him when he watched her during their battle at Gronder. Hubert realized that even if he was not born into a family made to serve, he still wanted to serve her. In any way, her every need, he wanted to give her anything he could possibly provide and more.

It was sad, really. They were nearing their final battle and he was going in, a dying man.

Automatically, his feet wandered to the door. Hubert wanted to stop himself, but he was a dead man either way. If Edegard laughed in his face or killed him on the spot or he died on these cursed flowers lodged in his lungs, he was going into the same grave. 

Hubert walked up the stone stairwell at the end of the hall, nodding to guards as he passed. He hoped they couldn't read his mind, depict what was making his cheeks burn, because suddenly, it felt like all eyes in the palace were upon him. He exited the stairwell and walked down the hall. He looked at the guard by her large, oak door. "I have business with Emperor von Hresvleg." He kept his chin high and eyes soft but commanding. Hubert didn't want to cause trouble. But he had to do this soon.

The guard glanced at the door. "Um. I believe she's asleep."

"It's a rather urgent matter." Hubert snapped, knowing that the guarde in the castle knew what he was capable of. He loved being feared, really, it was much more fun than trying to be liked. "I'll take all the blame if she's unhappy."

Seemingly satisfied, the guard opened the door and allowed Hubert in. He shut it softly, allowing the image to stand alone in the dark of Edelgard's room. His eyes adjusted quickly as he stifled another cough. Please don't wake her up, he prayed to himself. Hubert pressed a fist fo his lips and allowed a soft fit of coughs to pass into it. He needed to speak to her, even if she was not awake.

The cough passed. Hubert turned to the bed, here Edelgard was sleeping soundly. The moonlight poured over her perfect face and reflected off her ivory skin, snow white hair pooling around her shoulders. Hubert gulped. Beauty in an image he had only dared to imagine.

He started forward, slowly. He began to sit in the nearby armchair. "Hello, Edelgard," Hubert was suprised at the tone of softness his own voice carried. Was he capable of such gentleness?

Edelgard's lashes fluttered. Hubert held his breath until they stopped and she shifted onto her side, facing him. He felt himself exhale with relief. "I wanted to come and confess to you, my empress." Hubert eased himself back into the chair, his fingers forming little steeples as he slumped down. "This disease has been going on for a while now, and I believe it's… it's my fault, really. I never should have allowed my feelings to get in the way of serving you." Hubert furrowed his brow in thought and felt his lips purse. "You and I… I should not have allowed the hope to live longer than it did. I have come here in the night, like a coward, to confess." He stood and felt his image robes rustle along the floor. "I'm sorry, my lady."

Hubert turned and walked to the door. He needed to ease the mind of the guard and assure him he was not in any trouble, that he would not be punished for-

A hand gripped his robe. "Hubert," Edelgard's voice was soft, small. The mage froze as she moved around to the front of him. "Why didn't you say anything?" She kept her hand on the fabric as she moved, fingers lightly dragging on the cloth. It was a feeling Hubert knew he could get used to.

"I… I could say the same of you, your majesty." Hubert moved back, but she stepped with him, her violet eyes challenging him. "You laid there silently as I confessed like a fool."

Edelgard's gaze flicked up to his forehead as she brushed his hair back. As she stood on her tippy toes, Hubert realized his lips, his face, were closer to her than ever before. "Hubert, what makes you think that you sounded like a fool?" Her words were warm against his face. Curse him. He liked it, loved her, a lot.

"Because I did."

The empress blinked, then gave a small smile before reaching up to take a hold of his collar. She leaned up, gripping him. "Stay still." She exhaled. Her eyes fluttered shut- the most beautiful sight Hubert had ever seen- as she leaned in close.

She froze a couple inches from his lips, eyes closed and lips parted, waiting. Hubert scanned her face softly, feeling the Emperor squeeze his collar in anticipation. She was waiting on him to close the distance. "Kiss me," she exhaled, voice nothing more than a whisper.

Hubert's cheeks suddenly heated up. He looked down at her perfect lips, running a thumb over them. Edelgard gave a soft sigh, pressing them to his gloved hand. As she did, her eyes slid open, a half-lidded gaze of lust sparking in her eyes. Something stirred in Hubert, something raw and human and needed. "You were wrong." He mumbled, gaze moving between her lips on his finger and her powerful gaze. "Your lips are very plump." His thumb grazed over her lips before he felt himself give in, leaning down to replace his finger with his mouth.

_____

The Church of Serios invaded the next day.

Hubert had awoken early and slipped out, embarrassed about the night before. He should not have let it go to far. He should not have allowed it, ever, to happen, and he would not allow it again. But even as he scrubbed himself of guilt in the hot shower that morning, he couldn't stop himself from thinking of her silk sheets, the intoxicating smell of her, the melodic sounds of her voice that he had composed a symphony of. 

On the upside, he had not coughed all morning.

Despite himself, Hubert felt… cheerful? No, that word was foreign to him. Hopeful, perhaps, was the right one. Yes, that was right, hopeful. Perhaps he could live his life serving his Emperor in all ways, devoting himself fully to her until the end of time as his family had desired.

When he stepped from the shower and began to dress, Hubert smelled smoke. Throwing on his robes haphazardly, the warlock sprinted to the window and stared out. 

They were here.

Hubert sprinted into the hallway. "You," he pointed at a guard. "Go knock on the Emperor's door. Tell her the enemy has invaded."

_____

Hubert coughed. He felt a carnation explode in his throat, and he struggled and spit it out. He looked up at the diadem, where their former professor had just run her sword though Edelgard's body. Agony coursed through his veins. He had yelled as the sword of creation pierced her perfect skin, and felt the flowers bloom in his lungs once more.

"Edelgard," he panted around the petals. Hubert pulled himself to his feet and stumbled towards the throne, feeling his wounds burn. His classmates turned from the steps up to the throne and stared at him. Dorthea drew her hands to her mouth, Ferdinand looked away in guilt, Bernendetta shrunk away, and Caspar's victorious face fell. The professor's green eyes looked at Hubert, pity quickly rising. They moved the sword back and stepped away as Hubert ran up the stairs, collapsing by his queen, a trail of carnations, fully bloomed, forcing their way from his lips.

He cradled her body, wails rising that he didn't know he, his heart, could make. Hubert held Edelgard's corpse close, the carnations shifting her her midsection, where the blood stained them to a darker shade of crimson. He heard someone, probably Dorthea, let out a sob, and he heard the professor usher the students away.

"I'm sorry." The professor said, quickly bringing their sword down on Hubert.


End file.
